Drive and play of game: Ferguson catch sets up TD

The Packers' offense was spinning its wheels for the first three quarters Sunday night at Houston. In a matter of four plays, the Packers left the heads of Houston's defense spinning.

Green Bay trailed 13-3 when Brett Favre led the offense onto the field with 14:53 remaining in the game and 81 yards between them and the end zone. The Packers' previous eight possessions had yielded all of one field goal. The Packers, with their standout running backs injured, were on the ropes.

Bang, bang, bang. Touchdown Packers.

On first down, Favre hit Donald Driver for 12 yards. But that good start seemed to be wasted as a Tony Fisher first-down run gained nothing, a second-down pass was incomplete and the Packers were moved back 5 yards after having 12 men in the huddle.

That set up a third-and-15 and the play of the game. With Houston dropping eight into coverage, Robert Ferguson found a hole in the zone between cornerback Aaron Glenn and safety Marlon McCree along the right sideline. The hole in the zone closed quickly, but not quickly enough. The ball got to Ferguson an instant before McCree's shoulder hit Ferguson. Ferguson held on and had to be helped off the field, but the Packers earned a critical first down after a 23-yard gain to the 49-yard line.

After an incompletion, Favre struck again, hitting tight end Bubba Franks for 27 yards and a first down to the Houston 24. Two things made the play possible.

First, Texans linebacker Kailee Wong lined up covering Green Bay's slot receiver but crept toward the line of scrimmage and blitzed up the middle of the Packers' defense. Green Bay was prepared, with guard Mike Wahle waiting to pick Houston's leading sacker.

Second, Franks faked an outside move, which Texans rookie linebacker Jason Babin bit on. That let Franks get open in the seam for a big catch and run.

Feeling it, Favre went for all the marbles and delivered his best pass of the night on the next play. Donald Driver, who caught 10 passes on the night, faked a post route, which rookie cornerback Dunta Robinson jumped. That let Driver not only get behind the first-round pick, but gave Driver plenty of room to the outside. Favre took advantage, throwing a perfect pass to the outside which Driver caught with a fingertip catch in the end zone.

The touchdown cut the Texans' lead to 13-10. The Packers tied it on the next drive and won the game on the final play of the game as Ryan Longwell's field goal glanced the upright and bounced through.